The Ida County Public Safety and Communications Commission met Dec. 19 in Battle Creek. The commission discussed the payment percentages under the 28E agreement for countywide law, heard about a response from the State Ombudsman Office on a prisoner complaint filed in 2017 and received an update on hiring a new deputy.

During unfinished business, Supervisor Rhett Leonard handed out a sheet that contained some information the board put together on responding to the recommendation from Ida Grove Mayor Devlun Whiteing to have the county take over operating the county jail and paying 100 percent of the cost.

Whiteing initially brought up the proposal at the Aug. 21 countywide meeting in Galva stating he and the other mayors had met and were “concerned about being priced out of countywide law.” At that time, Whiteing suggested the county pay 100 percent of the costs and keep 100 percent of the revenue to operate the jail.

See the full story in the Dec. 26 edition of the Ida County Courier or subscribe online for instant access.